Electric tot



N. THEOHLOS.

ELECTRIC TOY.

APPucATmN mac- APR. 19, 2920vv 1,382,691, Patented June 28,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEE T 1.

N. THEOFILOS.

ELECTRIC TOY.

APPLICATION FILED APR.-19, I920.

LEEfifiQl I I Patented June 28, 1921.-

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N: THEOFILOS. ELECTRKJ TOY.

. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1320.

1,382,691. Eatentedlune fmrerzfar Mam/7s 7550/7105 N. T HEGFILOS.ELECTRIC TOY, APPLICATION FILED AYPRFIQ, V920.-

Lssz e'el; 1 Emma Jun 28,1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET .57 ms r251 UNITED srarss NICHOLAS THEOFILOS, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

Application filed April 19, 1920. Serial No. 375,041.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, N ioHoLAs T HEOFILOS, a citizen. of the UnitedStates, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cool: andState 0tlllinois, have invented new and useful improvements in an Electric Toy,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to a toy, and has particular reference to anelectric toy railway system.

Electric toy railways are quite common, and they are among the mostdesirable gifts tor children, because they fire the childs imaginationand induce him to study mechanical and electrical problems andphenomena, thereby fostering and developing inventive genius.

To this end the principal object of my invention is the provision of asystem of tracks sufliciently complex to tax the childs reasoning powerand ingenuity. A further object is to simplify the structure in. orderthat it may be cheaply produced. The :turthcr objects and advantages ofthe invention are hereinafter fully described and illustrated in theappended drawings, of which:

Figure l is a plan view in which the entire system is illustrated,

Fig. 2 illustrates, on a larger scale, portions of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view embodying all the electrical connectionsof the structure,

F lillustrates a mechanical-electrical switch operating element,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of portions of the preceding figure, and

Fig. 6 shows a detail forming part of the two last named views.

Upon examining Fig. 1 it is the system of tracks consists in a pluralityof loops "forming an outer track 1, a middle track 2, and an inner track3. Connecting the two first named loops is a crossing 4, while doubleacting switch 5 connects the middle loop with the inner loop 3. Assuminga train of cars, 6, to be'traveling on the inner track 3 in thedirection of the arrow, it is seen that it first reaches the switch 5,which will be thrown, as will hereinafter be explained, therebypermitting the train to enter the middle loop. The train next passes thecrossing 4. and enters the outer loop 1, from which it renters themiddle loop by traversing the said crossing the second time. As the carsthen approach the found that switch 5, they again cause the latter to bethrown, whereupon the train returns to the inner loop, and one completecycle is made. The switch 5, and devices for its operation are clearlyshown in Fig. 2. The track 2 comprises an outer rail 7 and an inner rail8, and the loop 3 consists of the rails 9 and 10. (311 one side of theswitch is provided a member 11 pivoted at 11 which, through the mediumof a rod 12 is operatively connected with a lever 13 carrying anarmature 13, which in turn is mounted intermediate two sets of magnets14:, 15. On the opposite side of the switch, and adjacent to the rail 7is a short insulated bar 16. Similarly a bar 17 is placed adjacent tothe rail 9. Centrally placed between the outer and inner rails aremounted insulator feeders 18. From one side of a source of energy, 19,extend wires to the rails of all the loops, while the other side isconnected with the feeders 18, which, as stated, are insulated from therails. Wires extend from the said feeders to one side of theelectromagnets 14c, 15, and the opposite side of the latter areelectrically connected with the short contact bars 16, 17. The carcloses a circuit between the said feeders and the rails, and is therebypropelled.

As a car approaches the switch from the inner loop 3, as abovedescribed, the wheels on its right side come into contact with the bar17, whereby a circuit is closed through the magnets 14, and the switchis thrown as shown in the drawing, permitting the car to enter track 2.On. the other hand, as the car again approaches the switch, this time ontrack 2, a contact is made between the bar 16 and the rail 7, and thecircuit is closed through the magnet 16, thereby again throwing theswitch and leading thecar back on the track 3.

Along the tracks are mounted a plurality of devices, such as a bellsignal 20 and gates 21, and at intervals are placed semaphores 22, all.of which are connected, by independent contact bars, to be operated bythe same source of energy 19, as best shown in Fig. 3. Thus the bell 20,at the switch may conveniently be connected with the bar 16, and thesemaphore with. the bar 17. The gate 21 and the other devices may, asstated, have their individual contact bars. The gate 21 comprises acasing 25, in which is hung a counter balanced lever 26, and the latteris by a crank 27 connected with the armature 28 of a magnet 29. As thecar wheel passes over the rail 30 and the contact bar 23, a circuit isclosed through the said magnet, and the lever is pulled down against itscounterweight 81. The semaphore 22 carries light 32 permanentlyconnected to the rail and feeder, so as to emit light while the train isin motion. The semaphore lever 34 carries red and green glass disks forregistration with the saidlight, and the said lever is connected to thearmature 35 of the magnet 36 in circuit with the bar 17 Attention is nowdirected to Fig. l,which shows a modified means for throwing the switch5. In this case only one pair of elec tromagnets, 40, is used, having anarmature 41, which preferably is hung below the said. magnets. Adjacentto the magnet, and pivotally hung in the magnet housing 42, is a disk1-3 provided with a cam-shaped groove 43 and having a series of ratchetteeth 43 It is noted that the armature carries an extension 44,positioned in the path of travel of the said ratchet teeth 43. On thepivot 45 is hung a rod 46, said rod connecting with the pivoted member11 of the switch 5 and having a projection 46 seated in the said camgroove 43*. Each time the magnet 40 is energized, it raises thearmature, whose extension simultaneouslyengages the face of one of thesaid ratchet teeth and moves the disk 43 a quarter turn. The connectingrod 46 is thereby given a movement toward and away from the disk centeraccording to the alternate windings of the cam groove, and

said movement operates to throw the switch back and forth alternatelyfor the purpose hereinbefore described. Then the armature falls back itsextension piece 44 slides over the incline of the next following.ratchet tooth, and in order to facilitate this movement said extensionpiece is made flexible enough to yield sidewise as it passes over thesaid incline. This sidewise movement of the extension is indicated indotted outline in Fig. 4. The above described ratchet and cam mechanismis included in order to demonstrate the possibility of throwing theswitch by mechanical means, which 1s desirable as such mechanical meansare less apt to get out of order. It is my aim, as hereinbeforeexplained, to provide a plurality of loops and to introduce electric andmechanical devices for guiding a car or train of cars around the severalloops repeatedly, in order, as stated, to give the child food forthought, and with a view of providing a toy of greater merit than hasheretofore been attained.

I claim:

1. In a toy, three track loops arranged within each other, a switch atthe junction of the two inner loops, a pair of electromagnets, arotatable cam mechanism operatively connected to throw said switchalternately back and forth, and elements on the armature of said magnetsfor rotating said cam mechanism.

2. In a toy, the combination with a pair of tracks a battery and a car,of a switch, an electromagnet, a disk adjacent to the said magnet, saiddisk having a cam groove and provided with a series of ratchet teeth, anarmature having an extension for engage ment with the said ratchetteeth, and a rod riding in the said groove and connecting with the saidswitch for the purpose of throwing the latter alternately back andforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my si nature.

ivIoHoLAs THEOFILOS.

